Last weekend, Kerrigan opened for veteran comic Andrew Dice Clay at The Paramount in Huntington. “It was great,” she said. “That was my first show at The Paramount on Long Island. It was run very nicely, and I enjoyed it. I loved it. Long Island is always great.”
On May 12, 2018, Kerrigan headlined Governor’s Comedy Club at The Brokerage in Bellmore, New York. “I love The Brokerage,” she said. “I think it’s a great club.”
On July 17, 2018, she will be playing at Laugh Factory in Reno, Nevada. “I am excited. That the shows at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino. It’s a cool old hotel. I work for the Laugh Factory in Reno and Las Vegas as well. It’s going to be great,” she said.
Regarding her inspirations for her comedy routine, she said, “Life and my family, and overall, being silly. It is important to be silly, even though people are so damn serious lately. Sometimes, people get mad at the things I say, and sometimes, they find it refreshing.” “When people get too sensitive, I prefer just to offend them more,” she said, jokingly.
For aspiring comics, she said, “Just get up on stage as much as you can. That’s where you find out who you are, what you are good at, and what your strong points are. You find out if you are good at improvising, and you work every muscle. It’s like going to the gym. You figure out every muscle by going on stage.”
Kerrigan listed two-time Emmy winner Judy Gold and Bill Burr as two of her personal favorite comedians. She also complimented such female comedians as Margaret Cho and Lisa Lampanelli. “I like Lisa, and my really close friend opens for Margaret Cho,” she said. “Both Lisa and Margaret are terrific.”
She defined the word success as “being able to breathe, and not stress over things.” “Doing what you love, and being able to breathe. Meaning I could pay my bills, and not have to stress about chasing my art,” she said.
Digital transformation of the comedic scene
On the impact of technology on the contemporary comedy scene, Kerrigan said, “The only thing it has changed, really, is if one person has a major following on social media, it give them more opportunities. In one instance, they gave people a show because they had a huge Twitter following. It wound up failing since they were not as funny as they need to be. They could write well, but they couldn’t do the stand-up routine well. There is a lot of nonsense with it. Every time they take a chance on one of those YouTubers, it is very rare that it goes well.”
For her fans, Kerrigan concluded, “Thank you to anybody who comes to see me, and is annoyed or offended by me is amazing. I thank them from the bottom of my heart.”
To learn more about South Philly comedian Eleanor Kerrigan and her upcoming comedy shows, check out her official website.
